Yesterday I went to the Dentist

So I've never really understood peoples' aversion to the dentist. I had gone to Dr. O my entire life and he can be credited for the shiny chops I grin to the world. Upon moving to New York, and procrastinating for over a year, I went to a dentist in Brooklyn last December (the "all my life" dentist of a friend and hi family.) I was heavily shamed due to my plaque buildup and the hygienist claiming I don't floss. Which is ironic, because I actually do floss regularly. "Every day?" she asked. "Well, no, but 5-6 days per week..." which I consider "every day." That dentist made me come back for a second appointment to finish the cleaning and the whole thing cost over $300. Most of which was paid for by insurance, $80 or so paid for by me.
Let me amend not understanding peoples' aversion to the dentist to not understanding it until YESTERDAY. Yesterday I go to this dental factory across the street from City Hall. They have a floor of a building, 16 exam rooms, a bevy of folks wandering around who are hygienists, xray technicians, dentists, etc. I saw the dentist before the cleaning, she looked at my xrays and asked me to open up. For about 6 seconds she looked in my mouth, moving my lips and gums with her fingers. Then said, "Ok, looks great. See you in six months." And gave me a high five.
So this was weird and I wanted to ask her, "um, I mean, I'm no dentist, but shouldn't you be poking all of my teeth with a sharp metal stick? Or something?!?"
I was moved into another room for a cleaning. After waiting a very long time, this man who was creepy in the way that Phillip Seymour Hoffman is creepy in Magnolia (maybe it was just the outfit?), comes in a says "I'll be doing your cleaning." He then proceeds to make the next 6-8 minutes the most painful and miserable I can immediately recall. He is forceful, careless and it feels violent. He sprays water all over my face and my mind detaches from my body as I try to concentrate on how soon it will be over based on how many teeth he has assaulted. He used a water-pik-like thing and the grinder/polisher. Again, no metal stick for scraping.
And then it was over and he said, "ok, you're done." And I kind of stared at him, face completely wet and mouth full of blood. I ran away and felt like crying. I could have achieved the same effect my brushing my teeth too hard until they bled. Gross. And they still aren't clean.
Today my teeth hurt and I finally understand why America, indeed the world, hates going to the dentist.